Full Dentures

Getting full dentures involves removing all the natural teeth and replacing them with prosthetic teeth. At Radiance Dental, we understand if you are transitioning into full dentures, you’re likely to have questions. Dr. Geetika Chawla and her experienced team are happy to walk you through the process and answer all of your questions.

 

Having full dentures does not mean you will compromise appearance or function. In fact, getting full dentures can be beneficial in the following ways:

• Improved Appearance: Dentures can replace missing teeth and give you the confidence to smile again. Also, missing teeth can cause facial muscles to sag. Full dentures can prevent this from happening.
• Restore proper chewing and speaking: Missing teeth can mean difficulties chewing and eating. It can also cause problems speaking. Getting full dentures will help improve chewing and speech difficulties associated with missing teeth.
• Increased Self-esteem: Improving your appearance and smile is not only about looking better, but it can increase confidence. Improved confidence and self-esteem carry over to almost all areas of your life.

Getting full dentures can improve your appearance, functioning and quality of life. Dr. Chawla and her staff at Radiance Dental want you to have a positive dental experience. We aim to provide excellent customer service to meet your needs.

 

For information on full dentures or other services visitwww.radiancedentalnw.com or call us at (360) 369-6420.

Bad Breath

Bad breath is something our patients often experience, and is one of the common things they ask us about at our practice. Quite often, having bad breath, also called halitosis, is the result of decay and can be remedied with proper cleanings and periodontal health.

 

Radiance Dental offers a variety of dental services that help clean the patient’s mouth. Whether that means a regular cleaning, treating gum disease, or providing tips and suggestions for improving their halitosis, we help patients find better self-confidence.

In general, bad breath can be caused by a number of things, including the following:

• Failing to brush and floss regularly
• Smoking cigarettes
• Not drinking enough water
• Suffering from dry mouth, also called xerostomia
• Taking certain medications

During the first dental visit, we determine the root cause of the bad breath. This helps guide us in the right direction for the best treatment options. In some cases, it is simply a matter of a deep cleaning, while other patients need treatment for periodontal disease.

 

If you are struggling with bad breath in Vancouver, WA schedule an appointment for a professional cleaning and check-up at Radiance dental by calling (360) 369-6420 or visit www.radiancedentalnw.com. 

Apicoectomy

For most patients with an infection of the nerves or roots of the teeth, a root canal procedure is enough to get rid of the infected tissue and help save the tooth from extraction. But in some cases, it does not solve the problem, in which a procedure called an apicoectomy is needed.

At Radiance Dental, we provide the apicoectomy procedure for patients who are still experiencing difficulties with their teeth after the root canal procedure is complete. The procedure removes infected tissue while still saving the tooth structure.

We perform the following steps when providing an apicoectomy:

1. X-rays are taken during the consultation to be sure an apicoectomy is needed.

2. The procedure begins by giving patients anesthesia to numb the area.

3. We make a small incision in the gum, lifting it away from the tooth.

4. A drill is used to get access to the root of the tooth, where the infected tissue can be removed.

5. We look for cracks in the tooth to decide if the tooth needs to be extracted.

6. The tooth canal is cleaned and sealed, followed by sutures if needed.

This procedure is very similar to a root canal, with about the same healing and recovery time. Call us at Radiance Dental in Vancouver, WA or call 360-369-6420 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sanjeev Sharma.

 

 

Bone Grafting

Dental implants are often provided to people who have missing teeth and are hoping to find a more permanent natural solution. However, implants must have a sufficient amount of jaw bone available for the implants to be placed securely. With some patients this isn’t always the case. If a patient has missing teeth, over a period of time they can experience atrophy of the jawbone.   This makes it difficult for the implant procedure to work properly without intervention.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone through a bone grafting procedure. Bone grafting helps Dr. Sanjeev Sharma grow enough bone at the implant site for placing the titanium post and completing a successful dental implant procedure.

At Radiance Dental, we offer minor and major bone grafting depending on how much bone will need to be grafted. Some patients can get minor bone grafting that helps increase how much bone is present. Others require major bone grafting if they have more significant loss of the jawbone. 

Patients who are in need of implants but don’t have enough bone to install the implant post have a great option in bone grafting when they come to our clinic. If you are in the Vancouver, WA area, call us at 360-369-6420 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sanjeev Sharma to discuss your bone grafting and dental implant needs. We offer free dental implant consultations.

Periodontal Disease

If left undiagnosed and untreated, periodontal disease can do some serious, irreversible damage to your smile.  Periodontal disease can also compromise your overall health, making you more susceptible to infections, malnutrition and other serious complications.  At Radiance Dental, we’re committed to educating our patients on the risks of periodontal disease and what they can do to prevent its harmful effects.

One of the best ways to stop periodontal disease before it starts is to practice diligent oral hygiene. This includes daily brushing and flossing, maintaining a sensible healthy diet, reducing sugar, alcohol and tobacco, and staying current with regular dental checkups.

It’s also important to be on the lookout for any warning signs that could indicate the early stages of periodontal disease, these include:

• Bleeding of the gums during or after brushing and flossing.
• Redness, swelling, soreness and discomfort that affect your gums on a regular basis.
• Gum recession and exposed portions of the tooth root
• Bad breath or a foul taste regardless of what you’ve recently eaten or even after you’ve brushed and rinsed.
• Loose or easily moveable teeth.
• Changes in bite alignment or the stability of prosthetic dental work

If you notice any of the above symptoms, please contact us at Radiance Dental promptly and arrange a consultation with Dr. Sanjeev Sharma.  We have appointments available to meet your scheduling needs.  Call 360-369-6420 today!

Wisdom Teeth

Not everyone gets their wisdom teeth, but many of our patients see them emerge. Wisdom teeth come in after the last set of molars, near the back of the mouth. They typically appear when patients are in their late teens or early to mid-twenties.

In some cases, wisdom teeth don’t cause a problem, but others need to have them removed. Because wisdom teeth are so far in the back, they are harder to clean and prone to more decay. This can lead to infection and other problems. They might also grow in crooked, pushing against the other teeth causing discomfort and overcrowding.

If the wisdom teeth are pushing against the other teeth causing shifting, pain, or become impacted, we recommend getting them extracted. This is often done under anesthesia so the patient does not feel any pain. It is a routine procedure, but one that needs to be completed by an experienced dentist such as Dr. Sanjeev Sharma or an oral surgeon.

If you have wisdom teeth, call our office in Vancouver, WA at (360) 369-6420 to schedule your comprehensive dental exam and x-rays to determine if they need to be extracted. We are welcoming new patients for wisdom tooth extractions and other dental services.

Dental Implants

If you’re considering dental implants for your smile restoration, you’re making a smart choice. As a tooth prosthetic, dental implants provide a unique set of benefits over other smile restorative options.  While bridges, partial and full dentures are all reliable options for smile restoration, dental implants deliver a real look, feel and longevity unlike no other.

 

When weighing the advantages of dental implants over other dental reconstructive options, consider the following:

• If you are an adult, your age alone won’t restrict you from dental implants.  From teens to seniors, dental implants have been successfully used to replace a missing tooth or teeth.
• They can be used in both your top and bottom jaw, at multiple sites and can even be used to restore your entire smile.
• Other healthy teeth do not need to be modified or disturbed for your implant placement.  There’s no need for wires, external framework, adhesives or support that affect neighboring tooth.
• Dental implants look and feel natural.  They will not affect your speech, eating and appearance.
• With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime and do not require replacement or adjustment.
• Dental implants require no additional maintenance beyond brushing, flossing and regular periodontal care.
• Because of their placement that’s similar to the natural root of the tooth, dental implants reduce bone loss and prevent atrophy of the jawbone.

While these advantages sound ideal for just about anyone in need of a replacement tooth, the very best way to determine if dental implants will be the most successful option for your smile restoration is to arrange a free dental implant consultation with us at Radiance Dental in Vancouver, WA.

Lumineers

Porcelain veneers are one of the top ways to improve your smile by covering imperfections of your teeth with thin pieces of porcelain. At Radiance Dental, we offer a new type of veneers called Lumineers. These are similar to traditional veneers, except they are made of even thinner pieces of porcelain, so patients don’t need to worry about filing down their natural teeth too far in order to make room for the porcelain. To put it in perspective, Lumineers are about as thin as contact lenses.

 

Patients achieve many benefits by choosing Lumineers, such as:

• Not having to lose as much of their tooth surface since the porcelain is thinner.
• Paying less for Lumineers than traditional veneers.
• Having a natural-looking procedure due to the thinner design.
• Getting a new smile with a minimally-invasive procedure.
• Improving staining, spacing issues, chips, and worn down and misaligned teeth.

Lumineers are applied through a simple process, beginning with preparing and taking impressions of the teeth to bonding the fabricated material to the teeth. After the bonding material dries, the Lumineers are polished and the process is complete.

 

Visit Dr. Geetika Chawla in our practice in Camas, WA or call 360-369-6420 to schedule an appointment for Lumineers.